Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin (born July 13, 1946) is an American comedian and actor who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong.
Marin, a Mexican American, was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Elsa (née Meza), a secretary, and Oscar Marin, a policeman in the LAPD. He is Roman Catholic. Marin is a graduate of California State University Northridge where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa. Fleeing from the U.S. draft during the height of the Vietnam War in September of 1967, Marin settled in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he met his future comedic partner Tommy Chong.